Cushion tire



' April 19.1927. 1,625,558

J. MclLwA-INE -cUsflIoN' TIRE Filed' July 25, 1928 Patentd Apr. 19, 1927. p

JOHN MciLWAINE, or Vvinnnn, ILLINoIs.

CUSHIQN TIRE.

Application filed June 25, 1925; :Serial No. 118,532.

This invention relates 'to cushion Wheels for automobiles and the like, and the invention has for an object the provision of Wheels having' Springs by which tires are yieldably held with relation to rims or fellies of Wheels; and the invention furthermore contemplates the provision of novel anti-friction elements as part of the bearing's between the springs and the tire, which elements minimize wear of the parts'and insure smooth and even action as the springs are con'ipressed and then regain their normal shapes.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a cushion tire having novel means for anchoring the springs thereof to the rim of a wheel, the said invention also having novel means for securing a tire to the rim.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation partly in section of a fragment of a wheel embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a sectional view of the f wheel on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of one of the spring bearing blocks;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view showing the opposite side thereof;

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective View of a portion of one of the Springs; and

Figure 6 illustrates a sectional view of the rim with a plug' applied thereto.

In carrying the invention into practice, a rim 10 is employed, consisting of a cylindrical ring 11 having plates 12 and 13, by which the beads 14I of the tire case are connected to the rim.

The tread support comprises a plurality of plates 15 hinged together as at '16 in order that each plate may be independently movable under the load or on contacting objects in the road. I

Each plate is provided With a bearing block 17 that may be secured to'it in any i appropriate way,'and each of said bearing blocks has cavities 18 and 19 provided with anti-friction elements 20 that have trunnions such as 21 rotatable in the side walls of the cavities. V

A plurality of bow Springs 22 are anchored at approximately Vmidway their` lengths to the ring 11, through the use of bolts 23 that are threaded in` apertures 24 of the rim. The bolts extend through apertures 25 in'the springs and nuts 26 are threaded on the holts. The nuts are preferably provided with vrubber heads 27 that may be manipulated for applying the nut-s to the bolts when the parts are assembled.

Each spring has 'an angularly disposed .foot or bearing plate 28 at each end and the bearing plate on one end engages the anti-friction elements of a block on one plate 15, whereas the other angularly disposed end of the spring engages the antifriction elements in the block of the succeeding plate, it being shown that the Springs are anchored inside of the pivotsV or joints between the springs. By this arrangernent, one end of the spring will yield under pressure applied to one of 'the plates, which pressed plate may swing on its pivotswithout, to any great extent, afi'ecting the succeeding plate, unless for some reason pressure is also exerted on the said succeeding plate. Under such circumstances, both ends of the spring would yield, Vbut not necessarily to the same extent, as all would depend uponthe impact or pressure.

Fellies now in common use have apertures for valve stems and it is the purpose of the inventorthat when such fellies are used that the openings shall be closed byl order that the material may bend freely 100 without occasioning undue wear.

It has been found in practice that a spring wheel of the Character indicated will prove durable and efiicient, and that even though the Springs should become impaired, it will. 105

not unduly atfect the operation of the wheel in its entirety and Operations may be continued without emergency repair, although, of course, it is desirable to restore the parts to proper Operating conditions as expedi- 110 tiously as possible.

I claim:

l. In a cushon wheel, e rln, phltes thereon having Curved outer edges, o tire (nsing having heeds engaged by the edges of the pletes for enchoring it to the riln, :z plnrnlity ot trend plates hng'edly connected und exnbraced by the easing, yield- :11710 means for holding the trend plntes 'in spneed relation to the riln, said means con1- prisingr enrved Springs anchored to the rim between their ends, the said springs having engnlarty (tisposed ends forming' heering` snrfeees, end enti-frietion elements held on the pletee in operatve relation to the ends: of the Springs.

ln :1 cnshion wheeLV :L rnnl` pletes thereon having Curved enter edges, a tire eesing having: beads engaged by the edges of the plates for unchoring' itto the rnl, n phlrahty of tread petes hngedly conneeted end elnbrneed by the casng', yieldable means for holding the tread plates in spaeed relation to the riln, said means rolnprisin); Springs enehored between their ent's to the rhn, the said Springs having engularly dsposed ends, blocks secured to the plutes between the pvots, said blooks having' cavt-ies therein, and ant-frieton elements rotatable in the eavities engaged by the angnlarly disposed ends of the Springs.

3. n :z enehion Wheel, e rm, a tire easin, means for securngr the tire easing to the rnr e phn'nlty ot trend plates hngedy ('onnected together end elnbruced by the cnsing, how Springs enehored between their ends to the rim, the said Springs hevin;` :lngznhn'ly disposed ends forming' bearing pletes, and ant-:tricton elements nxounted on the tread plates and engaged by the angnlzu' ends of the Springs.

JOHN MCILWAINE. 

